TY - CHAP
T1 - Formalising “bulungi-bwansi”: A qualitative study on community engagement in public procurement roadworks projects in developing countries
AU - Kalinzi, Charles
AU - Mugurusi, Godfrey
AU - Mpeera Ntayi, Joseph
AU - Muhwezi, Moses
AU - Kabagambe, Levi Bategeka
AU - Munene, John Kigozi
PY - 2025/10/1
Y1 - 2025/10/1
N2 - The chapter examines the extent to which “bulungi-bwansi”, a traditional method of community roadworks engagements (RE), was practised and how it has been modernised overtime, with introduction and enforcement of Force Account Mechanism (FAM) procurement procedures in various district local governments (DLGs) to minimise procurement performance expectations gap (PPEG). This chapter further examines how various aspects brought out the superior power of the traditional “bulungi-bwansi” community service concept, and compares it with the modernised present-day alternative approach to engagement with local communities in roadwork projects in the context of improving society well-being and overall community roadworks procurement performance. We engaged road users and technical personnel from 69 district local governments (DLGs) across Uganda that had participated in community roadworks projects overtime to compare how the traditional “bulungi-bwansi” was used and how it has gradually been updated with modern procurement process improvements to minimise performance expectations gap. Findings indicate that “bulungi-bwansi” predominantly used community tools, strengthend community ownership, engagement, and mobilisation but presented challenges ranging from voluntary participation and enforcement c. The alternative approach, on the other hand, which involved formalising “bulungi-bwansi” into use of force account mechanism (FAM) procurement procedures introduced the use of modern equipment and methods but surprisingly is experiencing declining community support and has not necessarily reduced the PPEG. The new approach presents is associated with a series of challenges ranging from declining community ownership, transactional collaboration, quality concerns and monetised community support. The implications of this chapter build further on the concept which has not been well researched in its integration with procurement management and highlights policy, managerial, and social implications in improving the modernised “bulungi-bwansi” into public procurement of roadworks contracts that most developing countries face.
AB - The chapter examines the extent to which “bulungi-bwansi”, a traditional method of community roadworks engagements (RE), was practised and how it has been modernised overtime, with introduction and enforcement of Force Account Mechanism (FAM) procurement procedures in various district local governments (DLGs) to minimise procurement performance expectations gap (PPEG). This chapter further examines how various aspects brought out the superior power of the traditional “bulungi-bwansi” community service concept, and compares it with the modernised present-day alternative approach to engagement with local communities in roadwork projects in the context of improving society well-being and overall community roadworks procurement performance. We engaged road users and technical personnel from 69 district local governments (DLGs) across Uganda that had participated in community roadworks projects overtime to compare how the traditional “bulungi-bwansi” was used and how it has gradually been updated with modern procurement process improvements to minimise performance expectations gap. Findings indicate that “bulungi-bwansi” predominantly used community tools, strengthend community ownership, engagement, and mobilisation but presented challenges ranging from voluntary participation and enforcement c. The alternative approach, on the other hand, which involved formalising “bulungi-bwansi” into use of force account mechanism (FAM) procurement procedures introduced the use of modern equipment and methods but surprisingly is experiencing declining community support and has not necessarily reduced the PPEG. The new approach presents is associated with a series of challenges ranging from declining community ownership, transactional collaboration, quality concerns and monetised community support. The implications of this chapter build further on the concept which has not been well researched in its integration with procurement management and highlights policy, managerial, and social implications in improving the modernised “bulungi-bwansi” into public procurement of roadworks contracts that most developing countries face.
KW - “bulungi-bwansi”
KW - Community engagement
KW - Community roadworks projects
KW - procurement performance expectations gap
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-94410-9
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-94410-9_7
DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-94410-9_7
M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)
SN - 9783031944093
T3 - Palgrave Studies in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigenization in Business
SP - 155
EP - 188
BT - Indigenous Supply Chain Management in Africa:
A2 - Akenroye, Temidayo
A2 - Mkansi, Marcia
A2 - Mugurusi, Godfrey
A2 - Nsakanda, Aaron
PB - Palgrave Macmillan
CY - Switzerland
ER -
